1. Field of the Invention
The invention generally relates to surface mount connectors and, more specifically, to a coaxial cable surface mount connector.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Coaxial connectors are well known and have been used to terminate coaxial cables in numerous applications. Typically, such connectors are mounted on a housing or at the edge of a printed circuit board. However, a simple and inexpensive coaxial cable connector suitable for surface mounting, for example, by a pick-and-place machine has not been available.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,261,632 to Narozny discloses a “Coaxial Cable Connector”. However, this connector is in a form of a termination for a coaxial cable that can be used as a plug or part of a union for connecting a cable to a piece of electrical equipment or to another cable having a counterpart or mating connector. An external contact 14 appears to pierce the outside insulation layer and make contact with the outer electrical conducting sheath while the external connector 12 pierces the inner layer of insulation between the central conductor and the sheath for making contact with this central conductor 16. However, as indicated, this is more in the nature of a terminal connector at the end of a coaxial cable that is intended to be connected to electrical equipment or with another mating connector, as noted. The contacts are spaced from each other and are not housed within an integral pressure block that can pierce both connectors after they have been attached to a printed circuit board by application of a single force on a block.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,120,314 similarly discloses a plug connector for connecting conductor tracks to at least one coaxial cable. After coaxial cables are inserted into an insertion duct, the partial removal of the screen at which point the contacts are pressed into the slot-type clearances. The relevant conductors are cut into thereby connecting to the plug contacts. The conductor contacts or blades are axially spaced from each other and individually actuatable. In addition to being individually actuatable, the contacts are provided with spring clips intended to exert a pressure to insure reliable contact. However, clearly, the clips are not designed nor intended to be surface mounted. In fact, as a result of projections that project in the same direction as the clips, it would be impossible to solder the clips to a PCB board for surface mounting. The clip 9 is arranged along the axis of the cable and the clips 10 are offset one to each side of the axis.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,960,097 to Morishita is for a “Pressure Connection Structure with Coaxial Cable”. The patent discloses a pressure connection for coaxial cables using piecing terminals suitable for connection with outer coaxial cables and a connector using pressure connection structures.
A “Shielded Surface Mount Coaxial Connector” is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,992,544 to Barnes et al. However, this patent discloses a coaxial connector that can be SMT mounted or connected to a printed circuit board. However, it does not teach an insulation piercing connector suitable for surface mounting of a coaxial cable but connection of a coax connector to a PCB.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,320,616 discloses a plurality of piercing elements attached to a single pressure block. However, the IDC connector assembly is for connection to multiple individual wires as shown and not to a coaxial cable.